Racing game device



Aug. 15, 1950 E. DQ JONES '2,518,897

` RACING GAME DEVICEv i Filed Feb. 25, 1946l ,2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l[NVENTOR.

Aug. l5, 1950 E. D. JONES RACING GAME DEVICE 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb.25, 1946 WKN@ , QQ l Er/v. J0 lies IN V EN TOR.

Patented Aug. 15, 1950 vii.'

UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE RACING GAME DEVICE Errol D. ones, New York,N. Y. Application February 23, 1946, Serial No. '649,671-

(Cl. .W3-86) f 1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to game devices, and

more specifically to a device which simulates a race between a number ofobjects representing horses, cars, or the like, controlled byV differentplayers `in such a way that the relative skill Aof the playersdetermines the results of the race. While' illustrate my invention bymeans of a preferred embodiment wherein .the aforementioned racingobjects are in the shape of horses, it will be obvious thatthe structureand operation of `my device are in no way affected bythe particularshapeof the racing objects, and that the wordfhorses, as used hereafter,must be construed to apply toa -fullrange of` equivalents.

An object of my invention is to provide a game device of the classdescribed, which is simple, amusing, sturdy, and very economical tomanufacture. l

Another object of my invention is to provide a gamedevicewhich is apt totest and develop the players coordination, sense of timing, and quickreiiexes.

A further object is to provide a game 'device wherein electromechanical`means are employed to operate the racing objects, said means being notonly well suited to their purpose, but also amusing and attractive inthemselves.

My invention will be understood with reference to the drawings, wherein:v

Fig. -1 is a perspective View yof the whole device, showing the horsesat various stages of the race.

Fig. 2 is a `cross-section 'on the line 2-2 of Fig. 5.

' Fig. 3 is a cross-section fon the line 31--3 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 is a plan view with the cover removed from that part of thedevice which houses the operating elements, to show said elements atvarious stages of their operation.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, my device comprises a longbox-like frame I, made of wood or other suitable material, the top partof which constitutes a race track and has a number of grooves orindividual tracks 2, in the particular example shown, six of them. Oneach groove there may be placed a horse. Fig. 1 shows horse 4 at thestarting point, horse 3 as near the end of the track, and the remaininghorses 5, 6, 1, and 8 at intermediate positions. Each groove is adaptedto receive a ball, of steel or any suitable material, such as balls II,I3, and I4 which are seen in Fig. 1, and balls 9, Ill, and I2 seen inFig. 4.

When thedevice is in operation, the forward upon the race track arearward-downward slant steep enough to cause the balls lto -rcllbackwards in the grooves when left to themselves, but not steep enoughto overcome the friction Vbetween the horses and grooves., The fra/me yI.also has a front plate Il `closing the end-of the race track, and asolenoid box I8 housing `what I vcall the operating elements, which aresolencids, plungers, springs, and contacts. The balls 9 I4- when at restare also covered by the Aopen front portion of the `box I8. Inside thebox J8 vare solenoids I9, 2D, 2l., 22, l23, .and 24, associatedrespectively with plungers 25,26, 21, .28, 29 :and 30, and springs 3I,:32, 33, 34.. 35, and 36. .The plungers have in their rear `portionsvertical :slots 31, 38, 39, 40,-4I, and 42, partially Vclosed at therear `with twisted wires -or :simi-lar means 43, 44, 45, 46, 41, and 48.The length Vof `the ,slots y:is carefully determined to vobtain the.particular retarding action which will .be `*hereafter .described, andlon which the satisfactory roperation of the device largely depends. Thesprings 31 36 are made of any Asuitable material, such as piano wire,which has satisfactory vvproperties of lightness and resiliency.

Thek solenoids `are connected through iwi-rcs generally indicated at 49,push type .switches generally indicated 'at 50, vline wire 258|., .andLp'lug 52, to a source of A. C. or D. current. Normallylthe plungers areiall rthe way tothe rear, like the plunger 26 in Fig. 4. Examining thisplunger 26, it is seen that the spring 32 associated therewith is nearthe front end of the slot 38, and the associated @ball I 0 rests againstthe associated solenoid 20. The associated horse 4 is placed a littleahead of the ball Ill, at the beginning of its track. Those are thepositions of all the elements at the beginning of the game.

If now the button 50 is pushed which is associated with a certainsolenoid, the solenoid becomes energized and attracts its plunger.The-plunger being slotted, does not disturb its associated spring untilit has reached the position exemplified by the plunger 28, which hasadvanced far enough for its end wire 46 to touch the spring 34. Untilthen, the plunger accelerates and gains momentum freely; thereafter thespring begins to bend and to resist the forward motion of the plunger.Nevertheless the plunger continues to move, eventually reaching theforwardmost position exemplied by the plunger 25. This latter is shownprotruding through the forward end of its solenoid I9, striking its ball9, and impelling it forward, whereby the ball in turn will strike itshorse, and push it on, as the ball I3 is shown as doing in Fig. 1. Assoon as the solenoid I9 is deenergized, the spring 3l will force theplunger back until it reaches the position exemplified by the plunger28, whereafter the plunger will proceed by inertia back to substantiallyits starting point. The ball, after having pushed the horse, will rollback to rest in its starting position against its solenoid, while thehorse will be held by friction in its new position.

The player, in order to win, must keep energizing the solenoid whichoperates th-e horse he picked as often and quickly as possible. However,if he pushes his switch button too quickly, the plunger will be al1 theway forward before the ball has quite returned to its starting point. Aninstant later the ball is in position, but it will bounce at once againout of position. Thereafter it will rest against the solenoid, but bythen its backward momentum is spent, and if the ball is stricken now bythe plunger, some time will have been lost. It is an instructive andamusing challenge to the player, this desirablity of striking the ballin the split second when it first hits the solenoid in its rear return,before it rebounds, a challenge which tests and develops his sense oftiming and his reflexes. The mechanical structure of the propellingmechanism is also very important. Were plungers and spring so connectedthat motion of the one would immediately produce deformation of theother, the whole device would become sluggish and prone to jam. Butthanks to the fact that the plunger is permitted to travel freely for aspace, and to acquire a certain momentum before engaging the spring.,this latter may be madeY relatively strong and with a small deformation,rather than weak and with a large deformation, and the plunger ispermitted to strike the ball with a smart impact, resulting in anefcient and amusing operation of the latter Further, the rearward returnof the ball being due to gravity, and opposed by the friction of thetrack, the ball has to be watched keenly by the player up to the momentin which it disappears under the forward part of the :box I8. The playerhas to guess the interval of time which will pass before the ball is'inthe favorable striking position, and balance it against the delay in thestriking. subsequent to his pressing the switch, due to plunger inertiaand spring resistance. Thus my device not only provides a real 2i gameof skill, but does so with a structure the simplicity and ruggedness ofwhich, and the resulting economy are quite apparent.

It is to be understood that the foregoing dedescription has been givenmerely by way of example and that many changes, alternativearrangements, and additions of cooperative and ornamental details, arepossible within the spirit of the invention and the scope of theappended claim.

I claim:

In a game device having an upwardly inclined frame provided with anumber of raceways therein, a racing object movable along each racewaythereof and a sphere in each raceway movable in one direction fordisplacing a racing object therealong and rollable by gravity in theother direction to a starting position; a solenoid supported in theframe at the rear of each raceway, a plunger actuable by said solenoidand movable from a rear position to a foremost position whereby itsforemost end is projected forwardly of said solenoid into the raceway,the forward motion of said plunger upon projection when said solenoid isenergized, propelling a sphere in its starting position toward theracing object, said plunger having a slot at its rear, a spring fastenedto said frame and projecting into said slot, said spring normallyprojecting adjacent the front end of said slot when the plunger isinrearmost position and contacting the rear end of said slot when theplunger is in a position intermediate between its rearmost and foremostpositions, and means for energizing and de-energizing said solenoid atwill.

ERROL D. JONES.

REFERENCES CITED

